I was recently asked about my favorite things about football Saturdays in Morgantown. I thought it was simple enough to answer, but then the list became so lengthy that I thought it impossible to sum them up in a few short pages.  I picked a few for this article, although I probably could have written a book.

I also couldn’t help but chuckle thinking about how different my answer would have been 15 years ago during my first year as a student at WVU, than it is now. 

My fanaticism certainly hasn’t changed, it’s just that the way I participate in the Mountaineer football experience is so much different now, and the things I love most about football Saturdays in Morgantown are a reflection of a deeper appreciation for the pageantry and tradition of WVU football, as well as the friendships and memories borne out of the experience, as opposed to simply using the fleeting moment as an excuse to party.

Ah yes, football Saturdays in Morgantown. I love them.

For me, like many others, the fun of football Saturdays in Morgantown is not just about watching a game, it is also reaffirming traditions, revisiting moments of triumph and tragedy with fellow followers of the old gold and blue, and taking a few hours to leave the maddening pace of the real world behind.

On football Saturday in Morgantown, I will inevitably run into friends, past and present, and maybe even make a few new ones in the process. If I am lucky, our boys will pull out a big win and provide a few memorable moments to add to Mountaineer football lore.

In late August, it’s new names and faces, short-sleeved shirts, and a season full of possibilities. In October, it’s brightly-hued leaves and a legion of students who have finally figured out a way to remain in the stadium past halftime.  In December…well, it’s flat out cold. But, no matter rain or shine, hot or cold, win or lose, I love football Saturdays in Morgantown.

The Drive

I live in Charleston. Not having the luxury of living in Morgantown requires me, like thousands of other fans, to take to the road for that two hour-plus trek northward on I-79 before every game.

I make no bones about it…on an average day, I hate driving to Morgantown. On the enjoyment meter, it falls somewhere between watching “27 Dresses” and sniffing spoiled milk.

On football Saturday though, it is more than just tolerable. I love listening to the pre-game hype on the radio, and the anticipation that continues to mount as I pass each town along the way---Clay, Flatwoods, Buckhannon, Clarksburg, Fairmont.

I love talking WVU sports with my fellow passengers.  I love the camaraderie experienced when passing fellow Mountaineer fans clad in gold, driving vehicles plastered with magnetic emblems and polyester car flags flapping frantically in the wind. (Of course, there are often fans from the opposing team making their trek as well. I always give them a polite nod of the head, knowing full well that a few ill-natured WVU fans will probably take the opportunity to give them a different kind of salutation.) 

Tailgating

Gone are the days of 10-foot beer bongs, and sneaking into the stadium a Ziploc baggy filled with Captain Morgan’s duct-taped to my chest. No longer am I a shirtless hooligan on a mission to disrespect and humiliate opposing fans. No, now that I am a bit older (and perhaps a bit wiser), I go to the game to enjoy it for what it truly is…football and friends.

That is not to say that I don’t look forward to tailgating.  To the contrary, is there really any better way to prep yourself for a game than to gorge on finger foods and sip on (in moderation) your favorite legal beverages with tens of thousands of like-minded individuals? Is there any better way to confirm the scope and breadth of your football acumen than to make pre-game predictions with a comrade over a beer and hotdog, only to return to the tailgate at halftime as the prediction victor?

Then there are the tailgating locales.  The Blue Lot, the Light Blue Lot, the Red Lot, the Gold Lot, the Pit, Tent City and various other tailgating locations surrounding the stadium have become a part of the Mountaineer football lexicon. I think we fans take for granted how truly awesome our stadium and surrounding tailgating areas are. Too often, college stadiums are placed in urban areas, where fans are divided by buildings and roads, which detracts from a true tailgating experience.

WVU has one of the legendary tailgating scenes in all of American sports, and it is an essential aspect of football Saturdays in Morgantown. I love standing at the top of law school hill viewing the throngs of people below.  Like me, I know that they have converged to focus on important pressing issues like Mountaineer offensive statistics, game strategy and, of course, big games and plays from WVU sports history.

I have been hit by flying footballs, ruined a game or two of cornhole, knocked down a tent, and probably offended hundreds of people in my day, but if I can help it, I will never miss at least a couple hours of our beloved legendary pre-game tailgating, which, unsurprisingly, is one of the primary reasons I and so many others love football Saturdays in Morgantown.

Simple Gifts

I am such a sucker for collegiate football pageantry, and nothing punches me in the nancies like hearing the Pride play “Simple Gifts” before every game.  I get a lump in my throat the size of a harvest pumpkin.

Fortunately, I am always able to somehow fend off the presence of full-blown tears. At that moment though, I inevitably say to myself that there is nowhere on Earth I would rather be. Sometimes I will even say it out loud to the stranger sitting next to me.  And its true. On that day, at that moment…there are few things more wonderful or appropriate than hearing the Pride play “Simple Gifts.”

The Post-Game Radio Show

“The Mountaineers Today,” the in-game play-by-play, the post-game summary, and “The Point After.”  Man, I love them all.  Win or lose though, I gotta hear the post-mortem. 

I’m not pandering at all (c’mon its the only WVU-endorsed radio program), but I think the Mountaineer Sports Network crew is outstanding. Whether its Toni Caridi giving the 2 minute compendium of the games biggest plays, or Coach Wallace telling me what the boys learned even in the midst of a painful loss, or the quintessential traffic report giving me an exit strategy out of Morgantown, the post-game radio show is a crucial method of decompression.

As I drive Southward on I-79, I know which radio stations to dial in at various mile-marker intervals to keep the programs running in perpetuity. My wife certainly thinks I am obsessive and ridiculous. By the way, does anyone know the best MSN radio station between Buckhannon and Sutton?

The In-Game Experience

Ah yes, the circadian rhythm of 50,000 people urging on their favorite team in an orgy of raw emotion. For anyone who doubts the impact of home-field fans in a college football game, please see your way to Milan Puskar Stadium.

The in-game experience is, of course, the most obvious thing to love about football Saturdays in Morgantown. The Mountaineers are the pride and joy of a humble state that, to many outsiders, is devoid of much to be proud of.

The team is beloved, and the atmosphere electric. I love meeting people who are attending a game for the first time and experiencing the sensory overload. I have yet to meet anyone who can deny that the experience of watching a WVU football game at Mylan Puskar Stadium is impressive. Personally, every time I walk into the stadium, I feel a sense of pride and belonging quite unlike anything else.

I love the pre-game video introduction. I love watching the players emerge from a smoke-filled, inflated helmet. I love hearing (and participating in) cheers and jeers after replays are shown on the jumbo screen in the South end zone. I love the sound of the Mountaineer’s musket being fired. I love the honoring of student military veterans and hearing the accolades individuals who participate in other sports. I love hearing the band provide an exclamation point to big plays. I love watching the stadium go bananas after a touchdown. And, of course, I love the post-game singing of our anthem, “Country Roads.” Maybe, I just love the “wow” factor and the size of it all.
As for the actual football game being played, its cliché, but watching in on television simply doesn’t do it justice. You just can’t feel the true nature of a college football game---particularly a WVU football game---without being there live and in person.

I have been fortunate enough to witness many memorable games in Morgantown. If it happened in the past couple of decades, I was probably there.  There are so many notable moments that I can replay in my mind as vividly as if I were watching them live or on television. I can remember where I was sitting, who I was with, and what the weather was like. I can remember the score, the time on the clock, and the playmakers. Good or bad, I can remember exactly how I felt after the game (good-2005 vs. Louisville, bad-1996 vs. Miami). If worse comes to worse, I guess those resurfacing emotions confirm that I still have a pulse.

Perhaps at some level, it is my hope that I can continue to draw upon those memories throughout my life, and also have an opportunity to create many, many more.  For me, the games are not just about winning and losing, they are about participating in an experience with thousands of other like-minded individuals who, for at least a few hours, forget their problems and, instead, just want to enjoy a football Saturday in Morgantown.  And that is probably my most favorite thing of all.

About the Author: Jason Winnel grew up in the Davis Creek area of Charleston, WV.  He was an undergraduate at WVU from 1995-1999.  He graduated from the WVU College of Law in 2003.  He is currently a Member of the law firm of Bailey & Wyant, PLLC in Charleston.”

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